Table



J. FOLLMER Jan. 7, 1930.

TABLE Filed April 21, 19.26

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J. FOLLMER TABLE Filed April 21 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllllllll I jaqefk .3 01 Z mar.

Patented Jan. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES JOSEPH FOLLMER, OF DENVER, COLORADO TABLE Application filed. April 21,

This invention relates to improvements in tables and relates more particularly to tables having tops that can be folded and unfolded,

It is the object of this invention to produce 5 a table of a simple and substantial construction that can be readily made and which can be easily operated and which, in addition, shall be strong, substantial and of good appearance;

Myinvention can be best described and will be most readily understood when reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which the preferred construction has been illustrated and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view looking down upon the top of the table when in folded position, portions being broken away to better disclose the construction;

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 2*2, 2 Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken on line 3'3,

Figure 2 and shows the look by which the table is held from opening;

I Figure 1 is a section taken online HFig- 25 ure 1 and shows the pivot about which the table top turns; a

Figure is a section takenvon line 5-5,

Figure 1 and shows a detent by means of which the table top is held firmly attached to 39 the base of the table when the top is in folded position;

Figure 6 is a plan view looking down upon the table when it is in unfolded or extended position;v

F igure'? isa section taken on line 7 7 Figure 6 and shows the interlock between. the table top and the arcuate track; H

Figure 8 is a section along line 8+8, Fig"- ure 6, and shows the anti-friction rollers that are provided in the track and in the table top Figure 9 is a section taken on line 9 9, Fig.- ure 1, and shows the manner of interlocking the table top and the base when the topis in full position; and

Figure is a. section taken on line 1010', Figure 6 and shows the stop whichlimits the rotary movement of the table top whenit is moved to unfolding position, a detent. also being shown for holding the top against return movement.

1926. Serial No, 103,480.

The base of the table is constructed some-. what like that of an ordinary table and has four legs which have been indicated by numeral 1. 2, 3, 4 and 5. In the illustration shown the strips 2 and 3 are thelongest and form the sides of the table support, while strips 4 and 5 form the ends. Connecting strips 2 and 3 are short. connecting members 6 and 7 which form the guides for a drawer that has been indicated as a whole by numeral 8., This drawer may be omitted, if desired, as it has nothing to do with the invention, but is merely shown to illustrate how it can be built into thetable, if its presence is desired. Connecting the side member 2 with the transverse member 6 is a cleat 9 that extends diagonally in the manner shown in Figure 1. This cleat is secured at its ends by means of screws 10 so that it will be held rigidly in place. The cleat 9 is provided with a hole 11 which receives, the pivot pin 12 about which the table top rotates. This pivot is constructed. as fol-V lows: A circular plate 13 is embedded in the upper surface of the cleat 9 to which it is secured by means of screws and is provided. with a central opening that registers with the opening 11. The upper surface'of plate 13 is provided with a/raceway 14 for receptionof the balls15. Secured to and preferably .formed integral with the upper end of, the pivot pin 12, is a plate 16 that is also provided with a circular raceway like that indicated by numeral 1a in member 13. Screws 17 serve tohold the-plate 16 firmly attached to the table top member 18. It is now evident that when the table top is rotated it has to rotate about the axis of the pivot 12. In order to keep the pivot pin from being withdrawn from the hole 11, I have provided it with a nut 19 that is adjusted to the proper position and then locked by means of the winged lock nut 20. The part of the table top indicated by reference numeral 18 is of a size slightly larger than the outside dimensions of the supporting frame work so that when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1, it will have the proper size for the regular table top. The table top, when in the; position shown in Figures 1 and 2 is com These legs areconnected by strips posed of two members 18 and 21 that are hinged together by means of hinges 22. When the parts are in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, it is desirable that the top shall be firmly attached to the base of the table so that the whole table can be readily carried by enga ing the edges of the table top. It is also desirable that the table top shall be positively locked in the position shown in Figure 1. I have therefore secured to the underside of the table top 18, a cleat 23 which is provided with a projecting tongue 24 that, when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1, projects into a notch 25 in the inner surface of strip 2, all in the man ner shown quite clearly in Figure 9. When the table top is rotated through an angleof ninety degrees, the cleat 23 will form a stop by engaging the strip 26 that is secured to the upper edge of the transverse member 6 in the manner shown in Figure 10. A spring detent 27 of'a well known construction is embedded in the under surface of the table topmember 18 and the ball 28 of this detent meral 30 and which is curved in the arc of a circle whose center of curvature coincides with the'axis of the pivot pin 12. One end of this arcuate track is secured to the end member 4 by means of screws 31 and passes over the top of the transverse member 6 and has its other end secured to the transverse member 7 in themanner shown quite clearly in Figure 1. Embedded in the upper surface of the track 30 is an anti-friction .roller v 32, whose upper edge projects slightly above the upper surface of the track and serves as a support for the under surface of the table top member 18. Secured to the under surface ,of the table-top member 18 is another friction roller which has been indicated by reference numeral 33. This roller rests upon theupper surface of the track 30 and serves as a support for the tabletop, while it is rotated from the position shownin full lines in-Figure 1 to that shown in dot and dash lines. It is evident that since the table top' is rotated ninety degrees the track 30 must subtend an angle of at least ninety degrees and hasbeen shown as being somewhat larger than this. 7

Referring now to Fi ure 7, which is a cross section taken throng the, track 30 and through a portion of the top 18, it will be noticed that the concave side of the track 30 is provided with a notch or rabbet 34 and that the under side of the table member 18 has attached to it a cleat 35 which is provided at one end with a projecting tongue 36 i that extends into the rabbet 34.v This cleat is secured to the table top 18 by means of screws 37 and its function is to lock the table top against upward movement so that ifthe operator attempts to lift the table by engag ing the top, no undue strains will be put on V shown in full lines in Figure 1, to what is shown in Figure 6. This is accomplished by grasping the handle 38 of the lock 39 (Figure 3) and moving the same towards: the right until the bolt 40 .is withdrawn from the loop'41. The operator then places his fingers in the cut-out notch 42 and rotates the table top to the position'shown in dot and 'dash lines in Fi ure 1. Further motion in this direction wi 1 be prevented by the cleat 23 which forms a stop when it engages'the edge of the part 26, all as shown in Figure 10. The upper part of the table top which has been designated by numeral 21 is now folded about its hinges and laid down into the plane of the memberl8 whereby a table top of exactly twice the original area is formed and which is shown in extended position in Figure 6. Since the surface of the table top member 21, which is at the; top when the parts are in folded positi'on, is hightly polished and asthis surface becomes the under surface when the table is extended,

it is, of course, desirable'that precaution shall be taken which will prevent the pol-- ished'surface from becoming scratched. For

this purpose the upper edge of the side strips 1 and 2 have been cut down for one-half of their length so as to form a space 43 between the lower surface of the table top and the upper edge ofthese strips, and thick pieces 44 of felt are secured to the upper end of the corner posts and to the upper edge of the transverse strip 5 and serve as a support for the member 21 when in its unfolded position.

In this way the polished surface of the part 21 can only come in contact with the felt strips and all possibility of scratching the surface is thereby removed. The felt strips 44 also serve as a support for theunder surface of the table top member'18 when the parts are in the position shown in. Figures 1 and 2. 'In Figs. 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10 I have shown the manner in which the lower part 18 of the top is supported so as to space it from the upper edge of the frame. This prevents scratching and reduces the resistance to rotation about the pivot. When the table top is rotated to the dot and dash line position in Figurel, it is, of course, apparent that the left half of the table support will be exposed until the member 21 is folded to the position shown in Figure 6. I have taken wow advantage of this to prepare a drawer which is formed by securing a bottom member 45 to the under side of strips 5 and 7 and where the drawer 8 is not used, this bottom 45 may extend to the center line of the table so as to form a receptacle whose inner area is one half the total area between the strips 2, 3, 4 and 5. The receptacle thus formed can be used for storing tablecloths, napkins, silver or for any other purpose. In order to more securely attach the table top to the under side or support of the table I have provided a metal member 46 that is secured to the under side of the table top 18 and has its end 47 offset in the manner shown in Figure 5 and I have secured a slitted metal member 48 to the outer surface of the strip 4 in such a position that when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1, the end 47 will engage the slot in member 48 and thereby lock the top against upward movement.

From the above it will be apparent that I have provided a table of a simple and substantial construction that can be readily moved from folded position to unfolded position and back again and which is adapted to have the upper surface increased to twice the normal area. The construction of the table is such that it is adapted for the manufacture of my table for parlor or dining room use or for a kitchen table which can be unfolded whenever it is used for dining purposes and which can be folded into a smaller space when otherwise employed.

Having now described my invention, what I claim asnew is:

1. A table having an extensible top, comprising, in combination, a rectangular frame member, having a cleat and a track member secured to the upper part of the frame, a table top consisting of two hingedly connected members pivoted to the cleat at a point spaced from the center of the frame, means for permitting the top member to be rotated about said pivot through an angle of ninety degrees, an anti-friction roller secured to the underside of the pivoted top member and adapted to oooperate with the track and. an antifriction roller secured to the track and adapted to engage the under surface of the table.

2. A table comprising, in combination, a rectangular supporting frame, having a cleat secured thereto and flush with the upper surface thereof, a rectangular table top consisting of two top members of rectangular shape, and of a size somewhat greater than the size of the frame, hingedly connected along one edge, the under member of said table top being pivoted to said cleat at a point spaced from the center point of said frame, an arcuate track member whose upper surface isparallelwiththeplane ofthe under surface of the top member, an anti-friction roller secured to the track member and projecting upwardly above the surface thereof, said roller being adapted to contact with and form a support for the table top while it is rotated about its pivot,.means for interlocking the top and the track so as to prevent relative movement of the top and the frame in the directionof the axis of'rotation and a locking means for locking. the table top against rotation in one direction.

8. A table comprising a supporting frame, a' foldable table top pivotally' connected thereto, an arcuate track'concentric with the pivot, means for separating the underside of the top from the upper side of the track, said means comprising an anti-friction roller carried by the table top for engaging the track,

another roller carried by the track for engagv ing the table top and means carried by the table top for engaging underneath the track for the purpose of preventing the top and the track from becoming separated.

4. A table comprising, in combination, a rectangular frame, a table top formed of two hingedly connected members which can be folded so as to lie in the same plane or in parallel planes, means for pivotally connecting one of said top members with the frame the upper edge of one end and the adjacent portions of the side members being in a plane parallel to but spaced from the plane of the corresponding portions of the other end of the frame and a piece of felt secured to the upper edge of the end piece whose upper edge lies in the lower plane.

5. A table comprising, in combination, a frame, a table top formed from two hingedly connected members which can be folded so as to lie in the same plane or in parallel planes, a support secured to the frame, means for pivotally conecting the top to the support so that it may be rotated about the piv- 0t through an angle of ninety degrees, means for spacing the underside of the top from the upper edge of the frame so that the surface of the top will not come into contact with the hard material of the frame, a felt strip secured to a portion of the upper edge of the frame for spacing the under surface of the table from the hard frame material, an arcuate track secured to the frame so as to be concentric with the pivot and a spacer secured to the underside of the table, said spacer being adapted to contact with the track so as to steady the table top.

6. A table comprising, in combination, a frame, a table top formed from two hingedly connected members which can be folded so as to lie in the same plane or in parallel planes, a support secured to the frame, means for pivotally connecting the top to the support so that it may be rotated about the pivot through an angle of ninety degrees, means for spacing the underside of the topfrom the upper edge of the frame so that the surface of the top will not come into contact with the hard material of the frame, a felt strip securedto a portion of the upper edge of the frame for spacing the under surface of Y the table from the hard frame material, an

arcuate track secured to the frame in concen- V tric relation to the pivot,- a spacer secured to the underside of the table, said spacer being adapted to contact with the track so as to stead the table top and means for latching the ta 1e top in its two extreme positions.

i In testimony whereof I aflix my signature;-

' JOSEPH FOLLMER. 

